He yawned, stretched himself, always a good sign in man or beast, and asked for a bath.
"I am afraid you will have to wash yourself in sand here, sir, like them filthy Arabians," said Quick, saluting.

"No water to spare for baths in this dry country.

But I've got a tube of hazeline, also a hair-brush and a looking-glass," he added, producing these articles.
"Quite so, Sergeant," said Higgs, as he took them; "it's sacrilege to think of using water to wash.

I intend never to waste it in that way again." Then he looked at himself in the glass, and let it fall upon the sand, ejaculating, "Oh! good Lord, is that me ?" "Please be careful, sir," said the Sergeant sternly; "you told me the other day that it's unlucky to break a looking-glass; also I have no other." "Take it away," said the Professor; "I don't want it any more, and, Doctor, come and oil my face, there's a good fellow; yes, and the rest of me also, if there is enough hazeline." So we treated each other with the ointment, which at first made us smart fearfully, and then, very gingerly sat down to breakfast.
"Now, Sergeant," said Orme, as he finished his fifth pannikin of tea, "tell us your story." "There isn't much of a story, Captain.

Those Zeu fellows came back without you, and, not knowing the lingo, I could make nothing of their tale.